Birsen Tomar, the perfectionist

Birsen is a classic Dubai expat; a child of the world who celebrates every occasion and loves to decorate

  • Text: Lena Moosa, Features Editor
  • Published: 00:31 December 7, 2009

  • Image Credit: Kishore Kumar
  • An overall Oriental appeal is felt in Birsen's Christmas decor. The tree is packed with beautiful ornaments, and silver leaf adds a delicate element
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Founder of Home Makeovers, Birsen Tomar is a perfectionist who believes a home should be a perfect reflection and representation of its residents' personalities and styles, and so she made a career of it.

Birsen is a classic Dubai expat; a child of the world who celebrates every occasion and loves to decorate. Her most obvious translation of festivity is twinkling ornamentation. "I love sparkles!" she says. "Festive occasions are a time to be spent with friends and family sharing happy moments. I like the state of mind and the mood that celebration encompasses, and it's so beautifully reflected in people's faces and their environments. For me, this time is an excuse to decorate – the twinkle, the shimmer, the candles, the sweets. The festive season puts everyone in an altogether other dimension."

Originally from Turkey, Eid for Birsen was always celebrated with great enthusiasm.
A fan of ‘sparkle', as she puts it, this Eid smaller doses of shiny ornamentation were sprinkled across her home. Being married to an Indian, Birsen discovered many more colourful Asian festivals. Diwali, which is the festival of lights, is exactly how Birsen translates this occasion visually. Her entire house and garden are filled with fairy lights and candles. And her time spent in the United States introduced her to the spirit of Halloween.

However, having spent her childhood in Germany, the festive season most important to her is Christmas. "Although my parents are Muslim, we always celebrated it, because you could not help but be sucked into the surrounding atmosphere. Everyone seems happy, even random people on the street whom you don't know, but merrily chat away with, and everyone is smiling and excited. I so love that feeling."

Birsen's company, Home Makeovers, offers, as the name suggests, a home makeover service. "The most important thing is to bring out the personality of the resident, as a home should reflect the people that live in it." She works mostly with existing furniture and furnishings. "People have the items; they just don't know how or where to put them. Just a shuffle around of things changes everything."

Her own home, she believes, is a mixture of hers and her husband's personalities. "Thankfully, we both have the same taste!"

She is a fan of non-clutter. Her home decor is not quite minimalistic and simple. "I like simplicity. However, I do like to mix things into it, as I am not a fan of the boring Scandinavian style. I like to bring in warmth through personal items collected over the years."

The interior is not based on the principles of Feng Shui, but it does have a decidedly Oriental feel. East Asian and Buddhist elements and accessories are placed carefully so as not to clutter. Muted warm wood, cream and beige tones fill the living areas, occasionally dotted with contemporary and sleek metal accessories, such as photo frames and candelabras.

This year's Christmas table setting has more bling than previous ones, but does not disturb the overall serenity of the dining space. Classical music plays in the background and nothing is even close to garish or out of context. There's a subtle sparkle reflecting from the baubles in the soft gold tree, and the tiny Swarovski crystals spread across the dining table. The ambience truly does reflect its owner, whose personal style is just as subtle and delicate.

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